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Guidelines - Cooperative Learning
A crib sheet for some of the more popular cooperative learning strategies now...
From David Woo
7/5/20091
Lecture 19 & 20
Classroom ManagementEST 213
Cooperative Learning andClassroom Management
Classroom Goal Structures
There is a growing interest in the educational benefitsof grouping children for learningClassroom grouping is an important managementfunction which has implications for effective learningand classroom managementTypically, classrooms and lessons can be structured inone of three ways: individualistically, competitively orcooperatively
Individualistic
In individualistic goal structures, the student isexpected to do the very best that he or she can,alone.
Achieving individually does not interfere with theachievement of others.
Rewards are based on the extent to which a
student’s performance meets specified standards
not on
how
the student performs in comparison withothers
Competitive
When competitive goal structures are used,success and reward structures are
determined by others’ ‘failure’, by ‘beating’
other students.
For there to be a winner (the scorer of the ‘A’
grade) there must also be a loser, or many losers.
Cooperative
Currently there is considerable interest in the use ofcooperative goal structures in which students worktogether to achieve or complete shared or commontasks.
The success of group members depends on thesuccess of
all
members of the group: helping eachother in groups to achieve ensures both individualand group rewards
Typically, teachers report that cooperativegroup work is most effective when studentinteraction will enhance learning such aslearning a complex conceptual material
According to Cohen (1994) there is noadvantage for students in usingcooperative learning structures foractivities that involve just factual orcomputational tasks where the fastestworker or the one who knows the
answers will ‘share’ with the rest of the
group
7/5/20092
According Slavin (1990) this does not mean thatcooperative learning approaches are not effectivefor lower-level tasks such as recall of factualinformation, decoding and motor skills, becausethey are.
Probably of greater interest to us as educators is thevery strong research evidence that cooperativeefforts at higher level tasks such as problem solvingare superior to competitive ones for all individualsof all ages (Quin,Johnson& Johnson, 1995)
Specifically for problems expressed in words,such as discussion and essay questions;Mathematical problems, figures, mazes andpuzzles; and creative problems requiring imageryor novel representations, cooperative groups arebetter able to find solutions than those who workcompetitively alone
If the goal is the development of harmoniousinterpersonal interpersonal relationships,especially of an intercultural nature, theresearch evidence for the use of team-basedapproaches (such as STAD, TGI, Jigsaw andGroup Investigation) also shows strong positiveeffects (Slavin, 1990)
In addition low-achieving students find thattheir achievement is enhanced because theymust seek to clarify any lack of understandingin order to contribute to the group goal.
Also, the low expectations held by low-statusare dissipated as group members discoversimilarities other than academic ones, andalso find that the final product ofcollaboration is far richer than any oneindividual could produce.
Planning to use cooperative learning inthe classroom
If planning to use a cooperative learning ask thefollowing questions first:
-
Can this work be done better in a group thanindividually?
-
That is will the mix of different abilities, view pointsand creative talents be an advantage?
-
Is the task so large or complex that only a group canhandle it?
-
If the answers are ‘yes’ then you have a recipe for
success
If you have answered ‘no’, then it is unlikely that
students will put a great deal of effort into agroup project in which they feel that they woulddo better or enjoy independently (Abramiet al.1995).
Group tasks must be carefully planned andstructured by the teacher so that cooperativeinteraction between students is required forsuccessful completion:-Students must understand what the objectivesare, what their individual responsibilities are,and how these are interrelated with those ofother team members.
7/5/20093
In fact, research has known that themost effective cooperative learningtechniques incorporate both groupgoals and individual accountability(Abrami et al.1995)
Students who are engagedproductively are unlikely to showdiscipline problems and enable teacherto spend more time giving directinstruction to specific groups asneeded, as well as to act as a specificconsultant to all groups
Implementation of cooperative learning strategieswould be demanding in terms of management untilstudents become accustomed to the skills requiredin collaborative work.
These problems will generally comprise of:-Noise-Seating arrangements-
Presenting students with direction-Accessing materials for collaborative use-Dealing with inappropriate behaviours that violate thenorms for cooperation
–
not helping others, putdowns,arguments, bullying and loafing.
Essentials of getting started with cooperativelearning in the classroom
For teachers: -Planning well ahead: set realistic and attainable goals for the activity and communicate to the students.
-
Beginning with topics or groups with which you are
likely to be successful: don’t be too ambitious at the start.
-
Using very small groups (pairs) at first and increasing size to threes or fours later.
-
Restricting the first cooperative activity to less than
-
15 minutes
-Designing the activity to require group processes.-
Using a ‘quiet signal’ or ‘noise meter’ to help
students monitor and control noise levels.
-
Reflecting on the outcomes of the groupcollaboration in terms of your planning and yourlearning objectives. Have the students do the same.
-
Persisting with a variety of cooperative approaches:it takes a lot of practice to master any teachingapproach. Students also need to learn how to workcollaboratively: it will come with time.
Establishing cooperativelearning in the classroom
Kagan (1994) recommends that rules for
cooperative behaviour, described best as ‘classnorms’ should be formed by the students where
appropriate rather than presented by teacher.
One way of doing this to get students to reflectionhow they feel when participating in group work.-What feels good?-What makes it work?-What spoils it?
Benefits of cooperative group learning
Improves academic achievement for students of a rangeof ability levels at primary and secondary school level,irrespective of subject area and type of school (Slavin,1991)
Particular achievement gains have been shown inmathematics (Davidson, 1991), verbal skills in socialstudies, reading, language arts and English(Winistky,1991), and computer based learning (Rysavy&Sales, 1991).
As for non-cognitive abilities it produces positiveattitudes towards learning, raises self-concept and self-esteem, improves relationships between students,increases feelings of social support, and enhances
acceptance of ‘difference’ such as minority group
membership, gender or disability.
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Lect 19 & 20
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